Having been soundly beaten in the first match at Kingsmead last week, South Africa dug deep in tough conditions to win the second Test ruthlessly, beating the visitors by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha.

Bavuma was happy with how they stepped up mentally after the set-back, making sure the series stays alive and goes down to the wire.

“It was very much a spirited effort from us because a lot was asked of our mentality and character after that first test, but in this test match we managed to dig deep with both bat and ball.”

The match at St. George’s Park was heavily affected by the weather conditions and effectively condensed to three days after heavy rains in the first two days of the test. The heavens threatened to open up late on Thursday with the Proteas on the cusp of victory, but Bavuma says they stuck to their plans and got over the line just in time.

One of the factors that swung the tide in South Africa’s favour was the presence of pace man Kagiso Rabada, who sat the first Test out with a hamstring niggle.

The skipper explained just how big an influence he is in the bowling unit.

“KG adds massive value on and off the field. When he is on the field, he always assumes the responsibility and the pressure of leading the attack, and that allows everyone else to go about their business with confidence. KG is inspiring in a lot of ways.”

The next stop for the two teams will be Newlands in Cape Town for the third and final match, which is sure to have a tense feeling about it.

Not only will the two teams be gunning for the series spoils there, but it’s also the scene of one of the most infamous incidents in sporting history when the Australians attempted to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper back in 2018.

—SABC—